April 18, 2012 12:11pm EDTApril 18, 2012 11:29am EDTThe Celtics' late-season run may never have happened had a couple near-miss trades been completed.

Staff report

Published on Apr. 18, 2012

Apr. 18, 2012

The Boston Celtics had a trade deadline deal fall apart in the 11th hour, and were involved in talks about a separate deal, that would have broken up their Big Three of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Yahoo! Sports is reporting.

A deal that would have sent Allen from Boston to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for O.J. Mayo and a draft pick was so close to completion that Celtics coach Doc Rivers called Allen to inform him that he was being traded, according to Yahoo! Additionally, the Celtics were negotiating a deal with the Nets that would have moved Pierce to New Jersey for the expiring contract of Mehmet Okur and a lottery pick, sources told the site.

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Celtics GM Danny Ainge was motivated to do these deals largely because he is enamored with the talent in the 2012 NBA Draft class, Yahoo! writes.

That Allen, especially, was close to being traded is not exactly surprising. There was plenty of buzz ahead of the trade deadline that Boston was considering offers for the Big Three, and Allen was always the most likely of the group to be moved.

There was also plenty of talk about Rajon Rondo being traded, but the Celtics were insisting on getting an All-Star type player in exchange for the point guard.

Perhaps Ainge is pleased that these deals did not come to fruition. The Celtics were 23-19 before the trade deadline, and are 13-7 since, and some believe they have a legitimate chance to win a title this season.

“I think we’ve become a really good basketball team over the course of the year,” Rivers said Tuesday night. “It’s just taken some time. ...